Astrophysics

We aim to understand cloud formation in substellar objects. We combined our nonequilibrium, stationary cloud model DRIFT (seed formation, growth, evaporation, gravitational settling, element conservation) with the general-purpose model atmosphere code PHOENIX (radiative transfer, hydrostatic equilibrium, mixing-length theory, chemical equilibrium) in order to consistently calculate cloud formation and radiative transfer with their feedback on convection and gas-phase depletion. We calculate the complete 1D model atmosphere structure and the chemical details of the cloud layers. The DRIFT-PHOENIX models enable the first stellar atmosphere simulation that is based on the actual cloud formation process. The resulting (T, p)-profiles differ considerably from the previous limiting PHOENIX cases DUSTY and COND. A tentative comparison with observations demonstrates that the determination of effective temperatures based on simple cloud models has to be applied with care. Based on our new models, we suggest a mean Teff = 1800 K for the L dwarf twin-binary system DENIS J0205-1159, which is up to 500 K hotter than suggested in the literature. We show transition spectra for gas-giant planets which form dust clouds in their atmospheres and evaluate photometric fluxes for a WASP-1 type system.

"The cold dense phase of the interstellar medium consists of giant molecular clouds (GMCs), with masses from several hundred thousand to several million times the mass of the sun and gas kinetic temperatures of 10 K. They consist primarily of gaseous molecular hydrogen H2, along with numerous trace molecules - ranging from simple molecules such as CO, CN, NH3, and CH4 up to more complex organic molecules such
as methanol (CH3OH) and amino acetonitrile (NH2CH2CN). Interstellar dust, composed of graphite, carbon and/or silicate compounds, is also an important constituent in the interstellar medium. Approximately 1 % of the mass of the interstellar medium is in the form of dust and the remainder is in gas. These dust grains, with dimensions of a few tenths of microns, play a vital role in influencing the physical and chemical state of the interstellar medium -- from the thermodynamics and chemistry of the gas, to the dynamics of star formation. For
instance, the heating and cooling mechanisms in GMCs are based on the collisional heating and cooling and radiative cooling and heating which takes place in the coupled gas-grain system. Moreover, the surfaces of dust grain catalyze chemical reaction pathways leading to the formation of both simple (eg. H2) and complex (eg. CH3OH) molecules. Models which include only thermal desorption predict that molecules in the gaseous phase of the GMCs should rapidly freeze out, or desorb, onto the surfaces of dust grains on time scales much shorter than the lifetime of the GMC. At the mean temperatures of the
GMCs, however, we need to include non-thermal desorption mechanisms because the thermal energy is significantly less than the surface molecular binding energy and hence the thermal desorption rate is negligible. We calculate the number of far ultraviolet (FUV) photons produced from cosmic-ray protons in ionization equilibrium by the Prasad-Tarafdar effect, in which neutral H2 is collisionally excited by high-energy cosmic-ray-ionized electrons,  and by recombination.
Using this background FUV field as a boundary condition, we, for the first time, consider the effect of radiative precursors from interstellar shocks. Specifically, we demonstrate that the post-shock compression enhances the production of FUV photons in a post-shock region where the dust grains slip relative to the gas. Inclusion of this process in our models results in the enhancement of photodesorption of molecules from grain surfaces. Finally, we estimate the total gas-phase abundances in GMCs including the combined effect
of adsorption and the newly-discovered effect of shock-enhanced FUV photodesorption.
"

We point out that the exchange of a Goldstone pseudo-scalar can provide an enhancement in the dark matter annihilation rate capable of explaining the excess flux seen in high energy cosmic ray data. The mechanism of enhancement involves the coupling of s and d waves through the tensor force that is very strong and, in fact, singular at short distances. The results indicate that large enhancements require some amount of fine tuning. We also discuss the enhancement due to other singular attractive potentials, such as WIMP models with a permanent electric dipole.

We compute the second-order matching conditions for tensor metric perturbations at an abrupt change in the equation of state. For adiabatic perturbations on large scales the matching hypersurface coincides with a uniform-density hypersurface. We show that in the uniform-density gauge both the tensor perturbation and its time-derivative are continuous in this case. For non-adiabatic perturbations, the matching hypersurface need not coincide with a uniform-density hypersurface and the tensor perturbation in the uniform-density gauge may be discontinuous. However, we show that in the Poisson gauge both the tensor perturbation and its time-derivative are continuous for adiabatic or non-adiabatic perturbations. As an application we solve the evolution equation for second-order tensor perturbations on large scales for a constant equation of state and we use the matching conditions to evolve the solutions through the transition from an inflationary era to a radiation era. We show that in the radiation era the resulting free part of the large-scale tensor perturbation (constant mode) is slow-roll suppressed in both the uniform-density and Poisson gauges. Thus, we conclude that second-order gravitational waves from slow-roll inflation are suppressed.

We present a new evolutionary model that describes the population properties of radio sources at frequencies <5 GHz, thus complementing the De Zotti et al. (2005) model, holding at higher frequencies. We find that simple analytic luminosity evolution is still sufficient to fit the wealth of available data on local luminosity functions, multi-frequency source counts, and redshift distributions. However, the fit requires a luminosity-dependent decline of source luminosities at high redshifts, at least for steep-spectrum sources, thus confirming earlier indications of a "downsizing" also for radio sources. The upturn of source counts at sub-mJy levels is accounted for by a straightforward extrapolation, using the empirical far-IR/radio correlation, of evolutionary models matching the far-IR counts and redshift distributions of star-forming galaxies. We also discuss the implications of the new model for the interpretation of data on large-scale clustering of radio sources and on the Integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect, and for the investigation of the contribution of discrete sources to the extragalactic background. As for the ISW effect, a new analysis exploiting a very clean CMB map, yields at a substantially higher significance than reported before.

We reassess the estimate of the cross-correlation of the spatial distribution of the NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS) radio sources with that of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropies from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). This re-analysis is motivated by the fact that most previous studies adopted a redshift distribution of NVSS sources inconsistent with recent data. We find that the constraints on the bias-weighted redshift distribution, b(z)xN(z), of NVSS sources, set by the observed angular correlation function, w(theta), strongly mitigate the effect of the choice of N(z). If such constraints are met, even highly discrepant redshift distributions yield NVSS-WMAP cross-correlation functions consistent with each other within statistical errors. The models favoured by recent data imply a bias factor, b(z), decreasing with increasing z, rather than constant, as assumed by most previous analyses. As a consequence, the function b(z)xN(z) has more weight at z<1, i.e. in the redshift range yielding the maximum contribution to the ISW in a standard LambdaCDM cosmology. On the whole, the NVSS turns out to be better suited for ISW studies than generally believed, even in the absence of an observational determination of the redshift distribution. The NVSS-WMAP cross-correlation function is found to be fully consistent with the prediction of the standard LambdaCDM cosmology.

Out of the known transiting extrasolar planets, the majority are gas giants orbiting their host star at close proximity. Both theoretical and observational studies support the hypothesis that such bodies emit significant amounts of flux relative to the host star, increasing towards infrared wavelengths. For the dayside of the exoplanet, this phenomenon typically permits detectable secondary eclipses at such wavelengths, which may be used to infer atmospheric composition. In this paper, we explore the effects of emission from the nightside of the exoplanet on the primary transit lightcurve, which is essentially a self-blend. Allowing for nightside emission, an exoplanet's transit depth is no longer exclusively a function of the ratio-of-radii. The nightside of an exoplanet is emitting flux and the contrast to the star's emission is of the order of ~10^(-3) for hot-Jupiters. Consequently, we show that the transit depth in the mid-infrared will be attenuated due to flux contribution from the nightside emission by ~10^(-4). We show how this effect can be compensated for in the case where exoplanet phase curves have been measured, in particular for HD 189733b. For other systems, it may be possible to make a first-order correction by using temperature estimates of the planet. Unless the effect is accounted for, transmission spectra will also be polluted by nightside emission and we estimate that a Spitzer broadband spectrum on a bright target is altered at the 1-sigma level. Using archived Spitzer measurements, we show that the effect respectively increases the 8.0um and 24.0um transit depths by 1-sigma and 0.5-sigma per transit for HD 189733b. Consequently, we estimate that this would be 5-10 sigma effect for near-future JWST observations.

The search for life outside of the Solar System should not be restricted to exclusively planetary bodies; large moons of extrasolar planets may also be common habitable environments throughout the Galaxy. Extrasolar moons, or exomoons, may be detected through transit timing effects induced onto the host planet as a result of mutual gravitational interaction. In particular, transit timing variations (TTV) and transit duration variations (TDV) are predicted to produce a unique exomoon signature, which is not only easily distinguished from other gravitational perturbations, but also provides both the period and mass of an exomoon. Using these timing effects, photometry greater or equal to that of the Kepler Mission is readily able to detect habitable-zone exomoons down to 0.2 Earth masses and could survey up to 25,000 stars for 1 Earth-mass satellites. We discuss future possibilities for spectral retrieval of such bodies and show that transmission spectroscopy with JWST should be able to detect molecular species with ~30 transit events, in the best cases.

The hot Jupiter HD 209458b was observed during primary transit at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8 and 8.0 microns using the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) on the Spitzer Space Telescope. We detail here the procedures we adopted to correct for the systematic trends present in the IRAC data. The light curves were fitted including limb darkening effects and fitted using Markov Chain Monte Carlo and prayer-bead Monte Carlo techniques, finding almost identical results. The final depth measurements obtained by a combined Markov Chain Monte Carlo fit are at 3.6 microns, 1.469 +- 0.013 % and 1.448 +- 0.013 %; at 4.5 microns, 1.478 +- 0.017 % ; at 5.8 microns, 1.549 +- 0.015 % and at 8.0 microns 1.535 +- 0.011 %. Our results clearly indicate the presence of water in the planetary atmosphere. Our broad band photometric measurements with IRAC prevent us from determining the additional presence of other other molecules such as CO, CO2 and methane for which spectroscopy is needed. While water vapour with a mixing ratio of 10^-4-10^-3 combined with thermal profiles retrieved from the day-side may provide a very good fit to our observations, this data set alone is unable to resolve completely the degeneracy between water abundance and atmospheric thermal profile.

In this paper we investigate the detectability of a habitable-zone exomoon around various configurations of exoplanetary systems with the Kepler Mission or photometry of approximately equal quality. We calculate both the predicted transit timing signal amplitudes and the estimated uncertainty on such measurements in order to calculate the confidence in detecting such bodies across a broad spectrum of orbital arrangements. The effects of stellar variability, instrument noise and photon noise are all accounted for in the analysis. We validate our methodology by simulating synthetic lightcurves and performing a Monte Carlo analysis for several cases of interest.
We find that habitable-zone exomoons down to 0.2 Earth masses may be detected and ~25,000 stars could be surveyed for habitable-zone exomoons within Kepler's field-of-view. A Galactic Plane survey with Kepler-class photometry could potentially survey over one million stars for habitable-zone exomoons. In conclusion, we propose that habitable exomoons will be detectable should they exist in the local part of the galaxy.

We report the detection of a transit egress by the ~ 3.9-Jupiter-mass planet HD 80606b, an object in a highly-eccentric orbit (e ~ 0.93) about its parent star of approximately solar type. The astrophysical reality of the signal of variability in HD 80606 is confirmed by observation with two independent telescope systems, and checks against several reference stars in the field. Differential photometry with respect to the nearby comparison star HD 80607 provides a precise light curve. Modelling of the light curve with a full eccentric-orbit model indicates a planet/star-radius ratio of 0.1057 +/- 0.0018, corresponding to a planet radius of 1.029 R_J for a solar-radius parent star; and a precise orbital inclination of 89.285 +/- 0.023 degrees, giving a total transit duration of 12.1 +/- 0.4 hours. The planet hence joins HD 17156b in a class of highly eccentric transiting planets, in which HD 80606b has both the longest period and most eccentric orbit. The recently reported discovery of a secondary eclipse of HD 80606b by the Spitzer Space Observatory permits a combined analysis with the mid-time of primary transit in which the orbital parameters of the system can be tightly constrained. We derive a transit ephemeris of T_tr = HJD (2454876.344 +/- 0.011) + (111.4277 +/- 0.0032) E.

As the number of known exoplanets continues to grow, the question as to whether such bodies harbour satellite systems has become one of increasing interest. In this paper, we explore the transit timing effects that should be detectable due to an exomoon and predict a new observable. We first consider transit time variation (TTV), where we update the model to include the effects of orbital eccentricity. We draw two key conclusions: 1) In order to maintain Hill stability, the orbital frequency of the exomoon will always be higher than the sampling frequency. Therefore, the period of the exomoon cannot be reliably determined from TTV, only a set of harmonic frequencies. 2) The TTV amplitude is proportional to M_S a_S where M_S is the exomoon mass and a_S is the semi-major axis of the moon's orbit. Therefore, M_S and a_S cannot be separately determined. We go on to predict a new observable due to exomoons - transit duration variation (TDV). We derive the TDV amplitude and conclude that its amplitude is not only detectable, but the TDV signal will provide two robust advantages: 1) The TDV amplitude is proportional to M_S a_S^{-1/2} and therefore the ratio of TTV and TDV allows for a separate determination of M_S and a_S. 2) TDV has a 90 degrees phase difference to the TTV signal, making it an excellent complementary technique.

Transiting planet lightcurves have historically been used predominantly for measuring the depth and hence ratio of the planet-star radii, p. Equations have been previously presented by Seager & Mallen-Ornelas (2003) for the analysis of the total and trough transit lightcurve times to derive the ratio of semi-major axis to stellar radius, a/R*, in the case of circular orbits. Here, a new analytic model is proposed which operates for the more general case of an eccentric orbit. We aim to investigate three major effects our model predicts: i) the degeneracy in transit lightcurve solutions for eccentricity, e>0 ii) the asymmetry of the lightcurve and the resulting shift in the mid-transit time, Tmid iii) the effect of eccentricity on the ingress and egress slopes. It is shown that a system with changing eccentricity and inclination may produce a long period transit time variation (LTTV). Furthermore, we use our model in a reanalysis of HD 209458 b archived data by Richardson et al. (2006), where we include the confirmed non-zero eccentricity and derive a 24 micron planetary radius of R_P = 1.275 +- 0.082 R_J (where R_J = 1 Jovian radius), which is 1% larger than is we assume a circular orbit.

Glaciations were attributed to variations of the Earth’s orbit (Milankovitch cycles). But the best
ever dated paleoclimatic record (from a speleothem from Devils Hole, Nevada) demonstrated that the
end of the last glacial period (termination II) happened 10 000 years before the one suggested by the
orbital variations (Winograd et al, 1988, 1992), i.e. the result appeared before the reason. This fact
suggests that there is something wrong in the theory. Glaciations and deglaciations drive changes of
the sea level. They are extremely important for human life in coastal regions, because rise of the sea
level with few meters will cause flooding of very large regions of land and will reduce significantly
arable land of several countries. We need to know the detailed mechanisms of the deglaciations in
order to develop proper sustainable management policy and actions to secure sustainable development
of these regions. These actions are important not only for sustainable management of the caves (which
provide the data for coming disasters), but for survival of large regions of land and its population.
Calcite speleothems luminescence of organics depends exponentially upon soil temperatures
that are determined primarily by the solar radiation. So the microzonality of luminescence of
speleothems may be used as an indirect Solar Insolation (radiation) proxy index. We obtained
luminescence solar insolation proxy records in speleothems (from Jewel Cave, South Dakota, US and
Duhlata cave, Bulgaria). These records exhibit very rapid increasing of the solar insolation at 139 kyrs
BP responsible for the termination II (the end of the last glaciation) and demonstrate that solar
luminosity variations contribute to Earth’s heating almost as much as the orbital variations of the
Earth’s orbit (Milankovitch cycles). The most powerful cycle of the solar luminosity (11500 yrs) is
responsible for almost 1/2 of the variations in solar insolation experimental records. Solar luminosity
and orbital variations both cause variations of the solar insolation affecting the climate by the same
mechanism.
Changes in the speed of Earth’s rotation during glacial- interglacial transitions produce
fracturing of the Earth’s crust and major earthquakes along the fractures. The intensity of this process
is as higher as faster is the change of the sea level and as higher is its amplitude. Much higher
dimensions of this process may be caused by eruptive increasing of solar luminosity, which may be
caused only by collision of large asteroids with the Sun (Shopov et al, 1996, 1997). Such collision may
cause “Bible Deluge” type of event. Humanity even now is not prepared to face such catastrophic
disaster, but cave research combined with astronomical observations can help to predict it and to
suggest actions to reduce the damage cause by it.

Results from photographic observations of the white light solar corona conducted during the total phase of the total
solar eclipse on March 29, 2006 in Manavgat, Turkey are shown in this work. Spectroscopic study of the green 530.3 nm
line of Fe XIV in the corona of the Sun has also been made. The spectrograph was designed by specialists from the STIL-
BAS ‘‘Acad. D. Mishev’’, Stara Zagora Department, Bulgaria; the Lebedev Physical Institute, Moscow, Russia; and the
Yuri Gagarin Public Astronomical Observatory, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
It has been found that the axis of symmetry of the ‘‘helmet’’-type streamers is tilted towards the solar equator and the
deviations from a radial direction in the western hemisphere are greater than those in the eastern one (211/81).
The solar corona flattening is e ј 0.098, which corresponds to an intermediate (before the minimum) type of corona. We
have obtained that the solar cycle phase is F ј 0.17 for the 2006 TSE.
White light corona is asymmetric, in contrast to solar corona observed during the August 11, 1999 total solar eclipse.

Glaciations were attributed to variations of the Earth’s orbit (Milankovitch cycles). But the best ever dated paleoclimatic record (from a speleothem from Devils Hole, Nevada) demonstrated that the end of the last glacial period (termination II) happened 10 000 years before the one suggested by the orbital variations (Winograd et al, 1988, 1992), i.e. the result appeared before the reason. This fact suggests that there is something wrong in the theory. Glaciations and deglaciations drive changes of the sea level. They are extremely important for human life in coastal regions, because rise of the sea level with few meters will cause flooding of very large regions of land and will reduce significantly arable land of several countries. We need to know the detailed mechanisms of the deglaciations in order to develop proper sustainable management policy and actions to secure sustainable development of these regions. These actions are important not only for sustainable management of the caves (which provide the data for coming disasters), but for survival of large regions of land and its population.
Calcite speleothems luminescence of organics depends exponentially upon soil temperatures that are determined primarily by the solar radiation. So the microzonality of luminescence of speleothems may be used as an indirect Solar Insolation (radiation) proxy index. We obtained luminescence solar insolation proxy records in speleothems (from Jewel Cave, South Dakota, US and Duhlata cave, Bulgaria). These records exhibit very rapid increasing of the solar insolation at 139 kyrs BP responsible for the termination II (the end of the last glaciation) and demonstrate that solar luminosity variations contribute to Earth’s heating almost as much as the orbital variations of the Earth’s orbit (Milankovitch cycles). The most powerful cycle of the solar luminosity (11500 yrs) is responsible for almost 1/2 of the variations in solar insolation experimental records. Solar luminosity and orbital variations both cause variations of the solar insolation affecting the climate by the same mechanism.
Changes in the speed of Earth’s rotation during glacial- interglacial transitions produce fracturing of the Earth’s crust and major earthquakes along the fractures. The intensity of this process is as higher as faster is the change of the sea level and as higher is its amplitude. Much higher dimensions of this process may be caused by eruptive increasing of solar luminosity, which may be caused only by collision of large asteroids with the Sun (Shopov et al, 1996, 1997). Such collision may cause “Bible Deluge” type of event. Humanity even now is not prepared to face such catastrophic disaster, but cave research combined with astronomical observations can help to predict it and to suggest actions to reduce the damage cause by it.

We used the quantitative theory of solubility of karst rocks of Shopov et. al, (1989, 1991a) in dependence of the temperature and other thermodynamic parameters to make reconstructions of past carbonate denudation rates. This theory produced equations assessing the carbonate denudation rates in dependence on the temperature or on the precipitation. We used an estimate of the averaged denudation rate in the region based on integrated data of the carbonate hardness or the water from springs, rivers, cave pools and dripping water and average precipitation rate (of 470 mm/yr) from meteorological data for Kananaskis karst region, Alberta, Canada. Obtained denudation rate is 14 mm/kyr or 38 t/km2 per year. We used this estimate as starting point and substituted our proxy records of the annual temperature and the annual precipitation in the equations of dependence of karst denudation rate on precipitation and temperature. This way we reconstructed variations of the annual karst denudation rate for the last 280 years in dependence on the annual precipitation and for the last 1250 years in dependence on the temperature. Both reconstructions are made for equilibrium conditions and do not take into account variations of the evapotranspiration, but they produce quite reasonable estimate of the variations of carbonate denudation, which is within observed variation of 8- 20 mm/kyr (86% variation). Precipitation dependence of carbonate denudation produces 79 % variation in the denudation rate in result of the reconstructed variation of 300 mm/yr from the driest to the wettest year during the last 280 years. Temperature dependence of carbonate denudation due to temperature dependence of solubility of the carbonate dioxide produce only 9.3 % variation in the denudation rate in result of the reconstructed variation of 4.7 deg. C during the last 1250 years, so it is negligible in respect of the precipitation dependence.
We measured a very high- resolution luminescence record covering the last 2028 ±100 years from Savi Cave, Trieste, Italy, which allows precise determination of growth rate of the stalagmite. It consists of 40106 data points compiled of 16 overlapping scans. Its time step varies from 15.6 days to 19.9 days. We made a reconstruction of the annual growth rate variations for the last 2028 years, which represents annual precipitation for the region of the cave. It allows us to estimate the range of the annual variations of the karst denudation in North Italy.
We found that the strongest cycle of the annual rainfall in the region of Trieste, Italy is with duration of about 300 years. Several other cycles with duration of 160, 130, 68, 38, 30.2, 18.4, 9.4, 6.8 and 5.8 years exist in the precipitation there. They should produce variations with the same duration in the karst denudation rates in the region.

We have confirmed the solar origin of insolation cycles of 11,500, 4400, 3950, 2770, 2500, 2090, 1960, 1670, 1460, 1280,
1195, 1145, 1034, 935, 835, 750 and 610 yrs found in speleothem luminescence by their presence in other indices of the solar
wind. The 11,500-yr solar cycle can produce climatic variations similar to those caused by the orbital variations.
We discovered a sub-annual cycle of 27 days in one very high-resolution speleothem proxy paleoclimatic record,
attributed to solar rotation, which causes the periodic appearance of active zones on the visible solar surface, which are the
major emitters of solar wind. Solar wind modulates cosmic ray flux at the Earth, while cosmic rays influence the
atmospheric transparency, thus producing a multiplication of solar variations in insolation. Small variations of the solar
activity can produce a measurable influence on insolation.

We developed a new technique for registration of the far solar corona from ground-based observations at distances
comparable to those obtained from space coronagraphs. It makes possible visualization of fine details of studied objects
invisible by naked eye. Here we demonstrate that streamers of the electron corona sometimes punch the dust corona and
that the shape of the dust corona may vary with time.
We obtained several experimental evidences that the far coronal streamers (observed directly only from the space or
stratosphere) emit only in discrete regions of the visible spectrum like resonance fluorescence of molecules and ions in
comets. We found that interaction of the coronal streamers with the dust corona can produce molecules and radicals,
which are known to cause the resonance fluorescence in comets.

We evaluate the contribution of cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization spectra to cosmological parameter constraints. We produce cosmological parameters using high-quality CMB polarization data from the ground-based QUaD experiment and demonstrate for the majority of parameters that there is significant improvement on the constraints obtained from satellite CMB polarization data. We split a multi-experiment CMB dataset into temperature and polarization subsets and show that the best-fit confidence regions for the LCDM 6-parameter cosmological model are consistent with each other, and that polarization data reduces the confidence regions on all parameters. We provide the best limits on parameters from QUaD EE/BB polarization data and we find best-fit parameters from the multi-experiment CMB dataset using the optimal pivot scale of k_p=0.013 Mpc-1 to be {omch2, ombh2, H_0, A_s, n_s, tau}= {0.113, 0.0224, 70.6, 2.29 times 10^-9, 0.960, 0.086}.

Abstract:-- This paper follows The Cartesian Theory (Hammond, New Ideas in Psychology  Vol. 12(2), 1994)  which advanced 3-axis  brain cleavage as the cause of the Structural Model.  This second paper reports gravitational curvature in the brain.  Intelligence plus Personality form a 4D space.  The eigenvector of the 4x4 metric is the Secular Trend and Einstein curvature Guv of linearized gravity.  Penrose's quantum brain gravity is the source thus confirming the Hameroff-Penrose model.  This factor proves to be the classical "God" of history.  A causal link between Relativity and the Structural Model yields the world's first experimentally confirmed scientific proof of God.

"We use the corrections ˙ to the standard Newtonian/Einsteinian perihelion precessions of
the inner planets of the Solar system, recently estimated by E.V. Pitjeva by fitting a huge
planetary data set with the dynamical models of the EPM ephemerides, to put constraints
on the position of a putative, yet undiscovered large body X of mass MX, not modelled in
the EPM software. The direct action of X on the inner planets can be approximated by a
elastic Hooke-type radial acceleration plus a term of comparable magnitude having a fixed
direction in space pointing towards X. The perihelion precessions induced by them can be
analyticallyworked out only for some particular positions ofXin the sky; in general, numerical
calculations are used. We show that the indirect effects of X on the inner planets through its
action on the outer ones can be neglected, given the present-day level of accuracy in knowing
˙ . As a result, we find that Mars yields the tightest constraints, with the tidal parameter
KX = GMX/r3X
≤ 3 × 10−24 s−2. To constrain rX we consider the case of a rock-ice planet
with the mass of Mars and the Earth, a giant planet with the mass of Jupiter, a brown dwarf
with MX = 80mJupiter, a red dwarf with M = 0.5M and a Sun-mass body. For each of them
we plot rmin
X as a function of the heliocentric latitude β and longitude λ. We also determine
the forbidden spatial region for X by plotting its boundary surface in the three-dimensional
space; it shows significant departures from spherical symmetry. A Mars-sized body can be
found at not less than 70–85 au: such bounds are 147–175 au, 1006–1200 au, 4334–5170 au,
8113–9524 au and 10 222–12 000 au for a body with a mass equal to that of the Earth, Jupiter,
a brown dwarf, red dwarf and the Sun, respectively."

Autonomous gravitational-wave searches -- fully automated analyses of data that run without human intervention or assistance -- are desirable for a number of reasons. They are necessary for the rapid identification of gravitational-wave burst candidates, which in turn will allow for follow-up observations by other observatories and the maximum exploitation of their scientific potential. A fully automated analysis would also circumvent the traditional "by hand" setup and tuning of burst searches that is both labourious and time consuming. We demonstrate a fully automated search with X-Pipeline, a software package for the coherent analysis of data from networks of interferometers for detecting bursts associated with GRBs and other astrophysical triggers. We discuss the methods X-Pipeline uses for automated running, including background estimation, efficiency studies, unbiased optimal tuning of search thresholds, and prediction of upper limits. These are all done automatically via Monte Carlo with multiple independent data samples, and without requiring human intervention. As a demonstration of the power of this approach, we apply X-Pipeline to LIGO data to search for gravitational-wave emission associated with GRB 031108. We find that X-Pipeline is sensitive to signals approximately a factor of 2 weaker in amplitude than those detectable by the cross-correlation technique used in LIGO searches to date. We conclude with the prospects for running X-Pipeline as a fully autonomous, near real-time triggered burst search in the next LSC-Virgo Science Run.

We study the (local) propagation of plane waves in a relativistic, non- dissipative, two-fluid system, allowing for a relative velocity in the “background” configuration. The main aim is to analyze relativistic two-stream instability. This instability requires a relative flow—either across an interface or when two or more fluids interpenetrate—and can be triggered, for example, when one-dimensional plane-waves appear to be left-moving with respect to one fluid, but right-moving with respect to another. The dispersion relation of the two-fluid system is studied for different two-fluid equations of state: (i) the “free” (where there is no direct coupling between the fluid densities), (ii) coupled, and (iii) entrained (where the fluid momenta are linear combinations of the velocities) cases are considered in a frame-independent fashion (e.g.no restriction to the rest-frame of either fluid). As a by-product of our analysis we determine the necessary conditions for a two-fluid system to be causal and absolutely stable and establish a new constraint on the entrainment.

This paper uses data obtained from the galaxy luminosity function (LF) to calculate two types of radial number densities statistics of the galaxy distribution as discussed in Ribeiro (2005), namely the differential density $\gamma$ and the integral differential density $\gamma^\ast$. By applying the theory advanced by Ribeiro and Stoeger (2003), which connects the relativistic cosmology number counts with the astronomically derived LF, the differential number counts $dN/dz$ are extracted from the LF and used to calculate both $\gamma$ and $\gamma^\ast$ with various cosmological distance definitions, namely the area distance, luminosity distance, galaxy area distance and redshift distance. LF data are taken from the CNOC2 galaxy redshift survey and $\gamma$ and $\gamma^\ast$ are calculated for two cosmological models: Einstein-de Sitter and an $\Omega_{m_0}=0.3$, $\Omega_{\Lambda_0}=0.7$ standard cosmology. The results confirm the strong dependency of both statistics on the distance definition, as predicted in Ribeiro (2005), as well as showing that plots of $\gamma$ and $\gamma^\ast$ against the luminosity and redshift distances indicate that the CNOC2 galaxy distribution follows a power law pattern for redshifts higher than 0.1. These findings bring support to Ribeiro's (2005) theoretical proposition that using different cosmological distance measures in statistical analyses of galaxy surveys can lead to significant ambiguity in drawing conclusions about the behavior of the observed large scale distribution of galaxies.

Extending the formalism of Datta, Bharadwaj & Choudhury for detecting ionized bubbles in redshifted 21-cm maps using a matched filtering technique, we use different simulations to
analyse the impact ofHI fluctuations outside the bubble on the detectability of the bubble. In the first three kinds of simulations there is a spherical bubble of comoving radius Rb, the one that we are trying to detect, located at the centre, and the neutral hydrogen (H I) outside the bubble
traces the underlying dark matter distribution. We consider three different possible scenarios of re-ionization, i.e. (i) there is a single bubble (SB) in the field of view (FoV) and the hydrogen neutral fraction is constant outside this bubble, (ii) patchy re-ionization (PR) with many small ionized bubbles in the FoV (PR1) and (iii) many spherical ionized bubbles of the same radius Rb (PR2). The centres of the extra bubbles trace the dark matter distribution. The fourth kind of simulation uses more realistic maps based on seminumeric modelling (SM) of ionized regions.We make predictions for the currently functioning Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) and a forthcoming instrument, the MurchisonWidefield Array (MWA) at a redshift of 6 (corresponding to an observed frequency 203 MHz) for 1000 h observations.We find that for both the SB and PR1 scenarios the fluctuating intergalactic medium restricts bubble detection to size Rb ≤ 6Mpc and Rb ≤ 12 Mpc for the GMRT and the MWA, respectively, however
large be the integration time. These results are well explained by analytical predictions. In the PR2 scenario, we find that bubble detection is almost impossible for neutral fraction
xHI < 0.6 because of large uncertainty due to the HI fluctuations. Applying the matched filter technique to the SMscenario, we find that it works well even when the targeted ionized bubble is non-spherical due to surrounding bubbles and inhomogeneous recombination. We find that determining the size and positions of the bubbles is not limited by the HI fluctuations in the SB and PR1 scenario but limited by the instrument’s angular resolution instead, and this can
be done more precisely for larger bubble. We also find that for bubble detection the GMRT configuration is somewhat superior to the proposed MWA.

A set of interpolating functions of the type f(v)={(sin[v pi/2])/(v pi/2)}^n is analyzed in the context of the smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH) technique. The behaviour of these kernels for several values of the parameter n has been studied either analytically as well as numerically in connection with several tests carried out in two dimensions. The main advantage of this kernel relies in its flexibility because for n=3 it is similar to the standard widely used cubic-spline, whereas for n>3 the interpolating function becomes more centrally condensed, being well suited to track discontinuities such as shock fronts and thermal waves.

Classical variable stars called RR Lyrae stars have pulsating outer envelopes constituted of excited atoms. Here we demonstrate that the qualitative and quantitative properties of RR Lyrae variables and one subclass of their atomic scale constituents: singly-excited helium atoms undergoing
transitions between Rydberg states, share a remarkable degree of self-similarity.  In terms of masses, radii, oscillation periods, morphologies and kinematics the stellar and atomic analogues obey a simple set of discrete self-similar scaling
equations. The concept of stellar/atomic self-similarity may prove useful in the search for a deeper understanding of both stellar and atomic systems.

The generalized Einstein action is treated quantum mechanically by using a quadratic lagrangian form. The canonical quantization of this action is obtained by using the auxiliary variable to define the generalized momentum. Physical constraints are imposed on the surface term, which is defined to be the cosmological constant. One obtains the familiar Wheeler-de Witt equation. The solution of this equation is in conformity with General Relativity (GR) .In addition to the fact that it is free from GR setbacks at the early universe, since it gives time decaying cosmological constant. The wave function of the universe and the cosmic scale factor are complex quantities, which indicates the existance of quantum effects.2.7k, CBR temperature is calculated.

"The astronomer E.V. Pitjeva, by analyzing with the EPM2008 ephemerides a large number of planetary observations  including also two years (2004-2006) of normal points from the Cassini spacecraft, phenomenologically estimated a statistically significant non-zero correction to the usual  Newtonian/Einsteinian secular  precession of the longitude of the perihelion of Saturn, i.e. \Delta\dot\varpi_{Sat = -0.006 +/- 0.002 arcsec/cy; the formal, statistical error is 0.0007 arcsec/cy. It can be explained neither by any of the standard classical and general relativistic dynamical effects mismodelled/unmodelled in the force models of the EPM2008 ephemerides
nor by several exotic modifications of gravity recently put forth to accommodate certain cosmological/astrophysical observations without resorting to dark energy/dark matter. Both independent analyses by other teams of astronomers and further processing of larger data sets from Cassini will be helpful in clarifying the nature and the true existence of the anomalous precession of the perihelion of Saturn.
"

The accuracy reached in the past few years by Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) allows for measuring even tiny features of the Earth's gravitational field predicted by Einstein's General Relativity by means of artificial satellites. The gravitomagnetic dragging of the orbit of a test body is currently under measurement by analyzing a suitable combination of the orbital residuals of LAGEOS and LAGEOS II. The lower bound of the error in this experiment amount to 12.92%. It is due to the mismodeling in the even zonal harmonics of the geopotential which are the most important sources of systematic error. A similar approach could be used in order to measure the relativistic gravitoelectric pericenter shift in the field of the Earth with a lower bound of the systematic relative error of 0.6% due to the even zonal harmonics as well. The inclusion of the ranging data to the Japanese passive geodetic satellite Ajisai would improve such limits to 10.78% and 0.08% respectively and would allow to improve the accuracy in the determination of the PPN parameters beta and gamma.

In this paper we determine dynamically the mass of the Kuiper Belt Objects by exploiting the latest least-squares determinations of the extra rates of perihelia of the inner planets of the Solar system. By modelling classical Kuiper Belt Objects as an ecliptic ring of finite thickness, we obtain 0.033 ± 0.115 in units of terrestrial masses. For resonant Kuiper Belt Objects, a two-ring model yields 0.018 ± 0.063. These values are consistent with recent determinations obtained using ground- and space-based optical techniques. Some implications for precise tests of Einsteinian and post-Einsteinian gravity are briefly discussed.

"We consider the recently estimated corrections
̟˙ to the Newtonian/
Einsteinian secular precessions of the longitudes of perihelia ̟ of several
planets of the Solar System in order to evaluate whether they are compatible with
the predicted precessions due to models of long-range modified gravity put forth
to account for certain features of the rotation curves of galaxies without resorting
to dark matter. In particular, we consider a logarithmic-type correction and a
f(R) inspired power-law modification of the Newtonian gravitational potential.
The results obtained by taking the ratio of the apsidal rates for different pairs
of planets show that the modifications of the Newtonian potentials examined in
this paper are not compatible with the secular extra-precessions of the perihelia
of the Solar System’s planets estimated by E.V. Pitjeva as solve-for parameters
processing almost one century of data with the latest EPM ephemerides."

"By processing more than 400 000 planetary observations of various types with the dynamical models of the EPM2006 ephemerides, E.V. Pitjeva recently estimated a correction to the canonical Newtonian-Einsteinian Venus' perihelion precession of −0.0004±0.0001 arcseconds per century. The prediction of general relativity for the Lense-Thirring precession of the perihelion of Venus is −0.0003 arcseconds per century. It turns out that neither other mismodelled/unmodelled standard Newtonian/Einsteinian effects nor exotic ones, postulated to, for example, explain the Pioneer anomaly, may have caused the estimated extra-precession of the Venus orbit which, thus, can be reasonably attributed to the gravitomagnetic field of the Sun, not modelled in the routines of the EPM2006 ephemerides. However, it must be noted that the quoted error is the formal, statistical one; the realistic uncertainty might be larger. Future improvements of the inner planets' ephemerides, with the inclusion of the Messenger and Venus-Express tracking data, should further improve the accuracy and the consistency of such a test of general relativity which would also benefit from the independent estimation of the extra-precessions of the perihelia (and the nodes) by other teams of astronomers.

"

The nonlinear dynamics of whistler waves in magnetized plasmas is studied. Since the plasmas and beam-plasma systems considered here are assumed to be weakly collisional, the point of reference for the analysis performed in the present paper is the system of hydrodynamic and field equations. The renormalization group method is applied to obtain dynamical equations for the slowly varying amplitudes of whistler waves. Further, it has been shown that the amplitudes of eigenmodes satisfy an infinite system of coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations. In this sense, the whistler eigenmodes form a sort of a gas of interacting quasiparticles, while the slowly varying amplitudes can be considered as dynamical variables heralding the relevant information about the system. An important feature of the approach is that whistler waves do not perturb the initial uniform density of plasma electrons. The plasma response to the induced whistler waves consists in velocity redistribution which follows exactly the behavior of the whistlers. In addition, selection rules governing the nonlinear mode coupling have been derived, which represent another interesting peculiarity of the description presented here.

This second part contains these chapters, in two files:

1 Chemistry: Reading Spectrograms
2 Performance Art: Problems of Documentation
3 Field Geology: Deductions from Beach Stones
4 Economics: Sirens in Classics, in Philosophy, and in Economic Theory
5 Linguistics: Medieval Irish Color Terms
6 Astrophysics: Doppler Tomography of Accretion Disks
7 Law: Video-game Technology in the Irish Bloody Sunday Tribunal
8 Computer Science: Visualizing the Internet
9 Occupational Therapy: Exercises in Doing, Being, and Becoming
10 Speech and Hearing Science: Speech Spectrograms
11 Restorative Dentistry: Matching Colours in Porcelain Crowns
12 Radio Astronomy: Observations of the Galactic Center
13 Archaeology: Imaging and Mapping Practices
14 Mapping: Uses of Geological Maps
15 Art History: Iconographic Analysis
16 Civil Engineering: A High Resolution Aerial Photograph

Originally published as Visual Practices Across the University, with contributions by thirty-five scholars (Munich: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, 2007).

To date, more than 300 planets orbiting stars other than our sun have been discovered using a range of observing techniques, with new discoveries occuring monthly. The work in this thesis focused on the detection of exoplanets using the transit method. Planets orbiting close to their host stars have a roughly 10 per cent chance of eclipsing (transiting) the star, with Jupiter-sized planets causing a one per cent dip in the flux of the star over a few hours. A wealth of orbital and physical information on the system can be extracted from these systems, including the planet density which is essential in constraining models of planetary formation.

To detect these types of planets requires monitoring tens of thousands of stars over a period of months. To accomplish this, we conduct a wide-field survey using the 0.5-meter Automated Patrol Telescope (APT) at Siding Spring Observatory (SSO) in NSW, Australia. Once candidates were selected from the data-set, selection criteria were applied to separate the likely planet candidates from the false-positives. For this thesis, the methods and instrumentation used in attaining data and selecting planet candidates are discussed, as well as the results and analysis of the planet candidates selected from star fields observed from 2004-2007.

Of the 65 planet candidates initially selected from the 25 target fields observed, only two were consistent with a planet transit. These candidates were later determined to be eclipsing binary stars based on follow up observations using the 40-inch telescope, 2.3-m telescope, and the 3.9-m Anglo-Australian Telescope, all located at SSO. Additionally, two planet candidates from the SuperWASP-North consortium were observed on the 40-inch telescope. Both proved to be eclipsing binary stars. While no planets were found, our search methods and results are consistent with successful transit surveys targeting similar fields with stars in a similar magnitude range and using similar methods.

We report the discovery of the first high-amplitude δ Scuti star in an eclipsing binary, which we have designated UNSW-V-500. The system is an Algol-type semi-detached eclipsing binary of maximum brightness V = 12.52 mag. A best-fitting solution to the binary light curve and two radial velocity curves is derived using the Wilson-Devinney code. We identify a late-A spectral-type primary component of mass 1.49 +/- 0.02Msolar and a late-K spectral-type secondary of mass 0.33 +/- 0.02Msolar, with an inclination of 86.5+/-1.0 degrees, and a period of 5.3504751 +/- 0.0000006 d. A Fourier analysis of the residuals from this solution is performed using PERIOD04 to investigate the δ Scuti pulsations. We detect a single pulsation frequency of f1 = 13.621 +/- 0.015 cd-1, and it appears that this is the first overtone radial mode frequency. This system provides the first opportunity to measure the dynamical mass for a star of this variable type; previously, masses have been derived from stellar evolution and pulsation models.

We present a new catalogue of variable stars compiled from the data taken for the University of New South Wales Extrasolar Planet Search. From 2004 October to 2007 May, 25 target fields were each observed for one to four months, resulting in ~87000 high-precision light curves with 1600-4400 data points. We have extracted a total of 850 variable light curves, 659 of which do not have a counterpart in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars, the New Suspected Variables catalogue or the All Sky Automated Survey southern variable star catalogue. The catalogue is detailed here, and includes 142 Algol-type eclipsing binaries, 23 β Lyrae-type eclipsing binaries, 218 contact eclipsing binaries, 53 RR Lyrae stars, 26 Cepheid stars, 13 rotationally variable active stars, 153 uncategorized pulsating stars with periods <10 d, including δ Scuti stars, and 222 long period variables with variability on time-scales of >10 d. As a general application of variable stars discovered by extrasolar planet transit search projects, we discuss several astrophysical problems which could benefit from carefully selected samples of bright variables. These include (i) the quest for contact binaries with the smallest mass ratio, which could be used to test theories of binary mergers; (ii) detached eclipsing binaries with pre-main-sequence components, which are important test objects for calibrating stellar evolutionary models and (iii) RR Lyrae-type pulsating stars exhibiting the Blazhko effect, which is one of the last great mysteries of pulsating star research.